Principal Investment
Strategies
Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of
its net assets (including the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities of mid-capitalization companies. The Fund defines mid-capitalization companies as those companies with a market capitalization that falls within the range of the companies that comprise
the Russell Midcap® Growth Index (the Index). The market capitalization range of the companies included within the Index was $681 million to $189.8 billion as of March 31, 2025. The market capitalization range and composition of companies in the Index are subject to change. The Fund may at times emphasize one or more sectors in selecting its investments, including the health care, industrials, and information technology sectors.
An investment in the Fund involves risks, including Mid-Cap Stock Risk, Growth Securities Risk, and Market Risk, among others.
Descriptions of these and other principal risks of investing in the Fund are provided below. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective and you may lose money. The value of the
Fund’s holdings may decline, and the Fund’s net asset value (NAV) and share price may go down. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other
government agency. The significance of any specific risk to an investment in the Fund will vary over time depending on the composition of the Fund's portfolio, market conditions, and other factors. You should read all of the risk
information below carefully, because any one or more of these risks may result in losses to the Fund.
Active Management Risk. Due to its active management, the Fund could underperform its benchmark index and/or other funds with similar
investment objectives and/or strategies.
Growth Securities Risk. Growth securities typically trade at a higher multiple of earnings than other
types of equity securities. Accordingly, the market values of growth securities may never reach their expected market value and may decline in price. In addition, growth securities, at times, may not perform as well as value securities or the stock
market in general, and may be out of favor with investors for varying periods of time. Growth securities may also be sensitive to movements in interest rates.
Issuer Risk. An issuer in which the Fund invests or to which it has exposure may perform poorly or
below expectations, and the value of its securities may therefore decline, which may negatively affect the Fund’s performance. Underperformance of an issuer may be caused by poor management decisions, competitive pressures,
breakthroughs in technology, reliance on suppliers, labor problems or shortages, corporate restructurings, fraudulent disclosures, natural disasters, military confrontations and actions, war, other conflicts, terrorism, disease/virus
outbreaks, epidemics or other events, conditions and factors which may impair the value of your investment in the Fund.
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Mid-Cap Stock Risk. Investments in mid-capitalization companies (mid-cap companies) often involve greater risks than investments in larger,
more established companies (larger companies) because mid-cap companies tend to have less predictable earnings and may lack the management experience, financial resources,
product diversification and competitive strengths of larger companies, and may be less liquid than the securities of larger companies.
Market Risk. The Fund may incur losses due to declines in the value of one or more securities in which
it invests. These declines may be due to factors affecting a particular issuer, or the result of, among other things, political, regulatory, market, economic or social developments affecting the relevant market(s) more generally. In addition,
turbulence in financial markets and reduced liquidity in equity, credit and/or fixed income markets may negatively affect many issuers, which could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to price or value hard-to-value assets in thinly traded and closed markets and could cause significant redemptions and operational challenges. Global economies and
financial markets are increasingly interconnected, and conditions and events in one country, region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country,
region or financial market. These risks may be magnified if certain events or developments adversely interrupt the global supply chain; in these and other circumstances, such
risks might affect companies worldwide. As a result, local, regional or global events such as terrorism, war, other conflicts, natural disasters, disease/virus outbreaks and epidemics or other public health issues, recessions,
depressions or other events – or the potential for such events – could have a significant negative impact on global economic and market conditions.
Sector Risk. At times, the Fund may have a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting business
in a related group of industries within one or more economic sectors, including the health care, industrials, and information technology sectors. Companies in the same
sector may be similarly affected by economic, regulatory, political or market events or conditions, which may make the Fund vulnerable to unfavorable developments in that group of industries or economic sector.